Mott fights his way to the top of the ruck

April 13 2002

Taking a punt: young Swans ruckman Ricky Mott. Photo: Steve Christo

From farm boy to emerging Swans star hasn't been an easy row to hoe for Ricky Mott, writes Jonathan Pearlman.

Hollywood would have paid millions for The Ricky Mott Story. A young and sturdy lad from a long line of wheat and sheep farmers in Western Australia shows some footballing promise. The schoolboy champion who makes the junior state side, performs well and is selected as an All-Australian.

But then, at the 1999 draft, he watches on as his schoolmates and teammates are picked up by national clubs and he is forced to go back to the 7000-hectare drought-stricken farm and play for the local side, the Kukerin/Dumbleyung Cougars.

For two years he divides his time between football and the farm. He is available for the 2001 draft but watches on forlornly as the bids go flying without a mention of his name. Then, at the last moment, a club from the other side of the country - the Sydney Swans - calls him out as its final-round pick.

The Swans think of him only as a back-up ruckman but, when their first two ruckmen are injured in the pre-season, young Ricky is called up from oblivion to join the senior team. He takes on the likes of superstars Matthew Primus and Matthew Allan and holds his own.

But the most tragic element of Mott's story - and the primary reason for his implacable self-drive - was the sudden death of his father, Howard, of a heart attack in 1998.");document.write("

advertisement

");
}
}
// -->

"The children were all so young when Howard passed away," says Ricky's mother, June.

With the added pressure of the drought, the talk among the local farmers was that Ricky should come back from Perth - where he was concentrating on his football - and help his mother on the farm.

"I was dead against it," says June. "I said to Ricky: 'You can do it. And you will do it. I'll employ people to work on the farm.' I felt he had a lot to give to football."

Mott was a member of the WA team that scored a surprise victory in the 1999 national under-18 championships. But, despite his talent, he was unfit and overweight. The Swans' national recruiting manager, Rick Barham, remembers Mott as "cumbersome and slow".

"He lived in the country and hadn't had the same sort of preparation as the city kids," Barham says.

But Mott was the only member of his state side to be selected in the 1999 All-Australian team. He was named best on ground in the match against the much favoured Josh Fraser and fancied his chances when he nominated for that year's draft. Then, as June recalls, "we had to sit and wait".

On the night of the draft, he and his family gathered round the television in the lounge room at the farm. Fraser was the first to be drafted. Six of Mott's teammates followed.

When, by the end, Ricky realised his name was not going to be called, he was devastated.

So, in 2000, he found himself back with the Cougars, trying to decide between farm and football. Cougars coach John Ditchburn recollects: "He loves farming and his family are very good farmers. So he went back home to weigh up his options."

In the end, Ricky chose football. He nominated for the draft in 2000 and again missed out. Last year he played for South Fremantle in the WAFL, helping them to the grand final.

Then he decided to nominate for the draft again.

Meanwhile, the recruitment committee at the Swans was beginning to consider its needs for 2002.

"Greg Stafford was traded to Richmond in our quest to get Barry Hall, and Stephen [Doyle] had a horrendous run of injuries," says Barham. "So in our meetings leading up to the draft we thought we needed a back-up ruckman."

There were still some nerves for the Mott family, who stayed tuned to the draft via the Internet. The first four rounds went by without success.

"We watched the numbers go and go and go," remembers June. "A lot of teams had started to pass. Next minute we saw it pop up on the computer. How can one forget?"

But Mott was only intended as the Swans' third back-up ruckman behind Jason Ball and the emerging Doyle. He immediately made it clear there was nothing he wouldn't do to lose that "slow and cumbersome" tag and make the seniors.

"He'll do all these extras," says Swans ruck coach Steve Taubert, "sitting down for another half-hour and looking at a tape, or speaking to the wrestling coach about balance and holding his position."

During the pre-season Ball and then Doyle were injured and Mott suddenly found himself in the senior team. He was included in the Swans' pre-season semi-final team against Port Adelaide, where he had to face Primus.

Though the Swans lost, Mott showed he could compete in the middle against the league's finest ruckman.

"It was then the coaching staff started to say, 'Gee through circumstances this kid has had a chance and he's been fantastic'," says Taubert. "He really enjoys that ruck contest where a lot of guys look for a way to avoid it. That's hard to pick up in general training. It's only when they get to a game that you get to see they have that ability.

"His dreams have been coming true every minute and every minute should be savoured."